Selection...
I attended a selection course in the last week of August, so on the Sunday headed up to Oban where I would be catching the ferry over to Coll. It was all very exciting, but nerving at the same time, as I had no idea what to expect during the week! After spending a night at the Youth Hostel in Oban, I had to catch the ferry that would take me to Coll at 7:30am! On the boat I met lots of other people who were attending selection, and who were all feeling excited but scared just like me.
Once we arrived on Coll, it was a full on week of doing lots and lots of different tasks! We had to walk up a hill, write an essay, dig up lazy beds, give a 10 minute presentation...the list is endless. We also sat through lots of talks, where Project Trust staff told us all about the different projects and what we could do.
While on Coll we all stayed with different host families who were great at telling us all about the island and helping us with our preparation for our talks. I stayed with a couple who were very active within the Coll community and had even set up their own archery club (so of course I grabbed the opportunity to have a go at it!).
All of us at the top of the hill during selection
During that week I met some amazing people, who were all just as eager as me to do something beneficial with their lives! Selection was a very tiring week, but one that I will never forget!
And so...
A couple of days after returning back to civilisation I received my letter from Project Trust telling me whether I had been selected to volunteer with them or not. Opening that letter took a lot of effort and I've never been so nervous in all my life...but thankfully it was the new I wanted to hear. I had been selected! I was going to be heading off to Swaziland in southern Africa!
Fundraising...
Now all that stood between me and my year in Swaziland was the massive challenge of fundraising £4950, which would cover the cost of things such as flights, accomodation and insurance. To begin with this seemed like a very daunting task for me, as I only had a year to do it, but as I gradually began to organised events and receive donations, I realised that my target was more than reachable!
I did a wide variety of things to try raise money, such as cake sales, running a craft fair, bag packing, a quiz night, a race night and a sponsored cycle from Glasgow to Edinburgh!
It was all very hard work and required an immense amount of time and orgnisation, but was really enjoyable and rewarding in the end.
I reached my total target in May 2011 after the sponsored cycle, and now that all the fundraising is over, I have to say, I miss it!
Quiz Night...these are great fun!
Training...
In July 2011 I then had to head back up the the Isle of Coll to attend a week of training, where I would meet my partner who I would be spending my year with and recieve all the information I needed on where I was going, what I would be doing and how to keep safe!
Again, I had to travel up the Oban on the Sunday before catching the ferry to Coll on the Monday. I was very excited (and also very nervous) to meet my partner, as they were the person I would be living withe for a year! Luckily, I met my partner on the train up to Oban, so my wait to find out who she was wasn't as long as others! We got on really well, and it was then, as we talked about where we would be going and what we would be doing, that it all got a bit more real!
When we arrived in Oban almost everyone who was attending training was already there. We all went out to dinner together that night (taking up the entire restaurant) and chatted about all things Project Trust! Then it was off to bed and up early to get ther ferry to Coll!
The Isle of Coll
During selection I had come to love the Isle of Coll, and so was sooooooooooo excited to be returing again! The minute we stepped onto the island we were driven straight to the centre where Project Trust were based and so training began...
Each day we sat through endless talks on safety and health and culture shock and homesickness, and it did some to get a little boring, but we all knew it was vital to take all the information in! Because my project is heavily based on teaching, I also had lessons on everything that I would need to know in order to cope as a teacher! This also meant that during the week I had to prepare and give a 10 minute and then a 20 minute lesson! I really enjoyed planning out my lessons and presenting them! My 10 minute lesson was based on simple adding and then my 20 minute lesson was based on spelling (nothing too challenging seen as I'm only going to be teaching 3-5 year olds when I'm out there!).
Training Group Photo
On our last night we were treated to formal, three course meal which was amazing and then a ceilidh to finish off with! It was a brilliant night and a good laugh, and it was really nice to be able to spend it with all the people I had come to be really good friends with during the week! Then on the Friday it was time to say goodbye to the Isle of Coll and goodbye to the staff at Project Trust as we were waved off the island with our heads packed with all the information we needed for going away!
Only 6 weeks to go....
So, I head off on the 7th of September 2011 with a lovely 24 hours worth fo travelling to look foward to before I actually make it to Big Bend, Swaziland. I still have so much to do, such as clean out my room, organise a leaving party of some sort and, of course, PACK! I best go browse the internet for a suitable rucksack now...
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